The present invention relates to a charging connector comprising a plug provided with a plug housing and a socket outlet provided with a socket outlet housing. Corresponding charging connectors serve, for example, the transfer of electric currents and media, e.g. for a forklift truck.
Various charging connectors are already known, which are not only provided with a plug and socket device for the transfer of electric power and voltage, but simultaneously with a plug and socket device for a media transport system. Upon plugging the individual plug and socket devices upon one another also a connection between the battery and the charging station for the media transport system is produced simultaneously with the electrical connection between the battery and the charging station, so as to simultaneously allow, for example, during the charging process on the battery, a media coupling for the transfer of liquid and gaseous media. At the same time, compressed air from a compressed air supply unit can be supplied to the battery via the coupled compressed air supplies of the plug and socket devices.
A charging connector kit including an adapter is known from DE 203 18 583, in which pilot contacts or also fluids can be passed.
The charging connector kit as disclosed comprises a plug housing, which is plugged into a socket outlet housing. The socket outlet housing includes an apron with two pin contacts received in two corresponding pin contact receiving recesses inside the plug-in projection of the plug housing. Coding pins and coding pin receiving recesses formed in both the apron and the plug-in projection ensure that a corresponding plug can only be plugged into the respective socket outlet. Moreover, an adapter can detachably be plugged into the housing in the longitudinal direction, both in the region of the apron and the region of the plug-in projection. This adapter can be inserted in a mutually mating manner on the plug to face the socket and on the socket to face the plug, in the form of a plug-in adapter or receiving adapter, in the longitudinal direction of the plug and the socket outlet. In each adapter a fluid main channel and fluid branch channels ending in the same are extending in such a way that the ends of the fluid branch channels located on the outside of the plug-in adapter are embodied as hollow plug-in projections which are introduced into the fluid branch channels of the receiving adapter to produce a fluid-tight connection in the plugged-in state of the plug and the socket. By this, an easy removability of the fluid/air contact elements is achieved, and it also allows an easier repair or an exchange of these fluid/air contacts against additional pilot contacts.
A charging connector is known from DE 90 16 595, wherein the layout of the fluid lines and fluid coupling is provided on the outside of the appliance plug and appliance socket outlet, that is, on housing cover plates each fixable on the corresponding halves of the housing. Moreover, a holder is provided, by means of which the connecting point to the fluid sleeves and the fluid pins plugged into these sleeves can be defined in a mutually detachable manner.
It is the object of the present invention to provide a charging connector usable in particularly versatile ways, both in cases where merely an electrical interconnection is needed or in cases which require at least one additional fluid/air transport system. At the same time, the charging connector is to have a simple structure and should be manufacturable at low costs.